EpiPen
Generic Name: epinephrine injection (EP i NEF rin)
Brand Names: Adrenalin, EpiPen Auto-Injector, EpiPen JR Auto-Injector, Twinject Auto-Injector
What is EpiPen?
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EpiPen injection is used to treat severe allergic reactions (e.g. difficulty breathing; rash; hives; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, lips, or tongue) caused by insect stings or bites, foods, drugs, or other causes.
EpiPen is also used to treat exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
EpiPen Auto-Injectors may be kept on hand for self-injection by a person with a history of an severe allergic reaction.
Important information about EpiPen
Before using EpiPen, tell your doctor if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, a heart rhythm disorder, diabetes, or a thyroid disorder.
Tell your doctor if you also take digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps), quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinaglute, Quinidex), an antidepressant such as Elavil, Pamelor, Sinequan, or Tofranil, or an MAO inhibitor such as Marplan, Nardil, Azilect, Eldepryl, Emsam, or Parnate.
Do not inject EpiPen into a vein or into the muscles of your buttocks. Inject it only into the fleshy outer portion of the thigh. Accidentally injecting EpiPen into your hands or feet may result in a loss of blood flow to those areas, and resulting numbness. If this occurs, seek emergency medical attention. Seek emergency medical attention even after you use this medication to treat a severe allergic reaction. The effects of EpiPen injection may wear off after 10 or 20 minutes. You will need to receive further treatment and observation. Before using EpiPen a second time, tell your doctor if your first injection caused a serious side effect such as increased breathing difficulty, or dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure). Store the auto-injector device in the original tube it came in. Keep this tube at room temperature away from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Do not refrigerate EpiPen, or store it in a car.Before using EpiPen
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have:
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heart disease or high blood pressure;
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a heart rhythm disorder;
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diabetes; or
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a thyroid disorder.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use EpiPen, or you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use the medication.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. If possible before ever using EpiPen, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Before an emergency occurs, talk to your doctor about using EpiPen injection if you are breast-feeding a baby.How should I use EpiPen?
Use EpiPen exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Seek emergency medical attention even after you use EpiPen to treat a severe allergic reaction. The effects of EpiPen injection may wear off after 10 or 20 minutes. You will need to receive further treatment and observation.The auto-injector device this medicine comes in is a disposable single-use system that contains a spring-loaded needle. EpiPen injection comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Do not remove the safety cap until you are ready to use the auto-injector. Never put your fingers over the tip when removing the safety cap or after the safety cap has been removed.To use an EpiPen auto-injector:
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Form a fist around the auto-injector with the black tip pointing down. Pull off the safety cap.
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Place the black tip against the fleshy portion of your outer thigh. You may give the injection directly through your clothing. Do not put your thumb over the end of the unit.
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With a quick motion, push the auto-injector firmly against your thigh. This will release the spring-loaded needle that injects the dose of epinephrine. Hold the auto-injector in place for a few seconds after activation.
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Remove the auto-injector from your thigh. Carefully re-insert the used device needle-first into the carrying tube. Re-cap the tube and take it with you to the emergency room so that anyone who treats you will know how much epinephrine you have received.
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Use each auto-injector only one time. Even though a small amount of liquid may remain inside the unit, throw it away after one use.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Since EpiPen is normally used only as needed in an emergency, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule. Do not use repeat doses of EpiPen injection without a doctor's advice.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.Overdose symptoms may include fast, pounding, or uneven heart rate, sudden and severe headache, loss of feeling in any part of the body, or sudden problems with vision, speech, or balance.
What should I avoid while using EpiPen?
Do not inject EpiPen into a vein or into the muscles of your buttocks. Inject it only into the fleshy outer portion of the thigh. Accidentally injecting EpiPen into your hands or feet may result in a loss of blood flow to those areas, and resulting numbness. If this occurs, seek emergency medical attention.EpiPen side effects
Before using EpiPen a second time, tell your doctor if your first injection caused a serious side effect such as increased breathing difficulty, or dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).Less serious side effects may include:
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fast or uneven heat rate;
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sweating;
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nausea and vomiting;
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pale skin;
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dizziness;
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weakness or muscle tremors;
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headache; or
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feeling nervous or anxious.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
What other drugs will affect EpiPen?
The following drugs can interact with EpiPen injection. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these:
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digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
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quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinaglute, Quinidex);
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a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), and others; or
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an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with EpiPen injection. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about EpiPen.
- Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
- Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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Adams-Stokes Syndrome, Allergic Reactions, Asthma -- Acute, Asystole, AV Heart Block, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease -- Acute, Electromechanical Dissociation, Shock
